Bed step



Mamh 1961 E. F. RIES 2,975,436

BED STEP Filed June 19, 1958 FQ-i INVENTOR.

ELMER E Russ All-0 rye BED STEP Elmer F. Ries, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Ries Manufacturing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Dhio Filed June 19, 1958, Ser. No. 743,203 6 Claims. (Cl. -317 This invention relates to a bed step, that is, a step that may be applied to the side of a bed, such as a hospital bed or the like.

Bed steps, in and of themselves, are not new but in the past were not made to be efficiently operated particularly with respect to folding the same out of the way of persons adjacent the side of the bed.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a bed step that may be economically produced and readily attached to the bed.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a bed step that may be economically produced and readily attached to the bed.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a bed step wherein the same may be folded back out of the way and yet be readily swung to its operative position.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a folding mechanism for a bed step that is securely and properly braced to insure its smooth and continued operation without the springing of the same and causing a bind in the parts.

A still further and specific object of the present invention is the provision of a bed step wherein the parts thereof are utilized for the dual function of providing a stop in the positioning of the bed step in its retracted position.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and it is to be understood that any modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved bed step of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the bed step as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the bed step as seen from theleft hand end of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the bed step in its folded position and as would be seen from line 44 on Fig. 2 if the said step were inwardly folded.

Throughout the several views of the drawings similar reference characters are employed to denote the same or similar parts.

As is well known, invalid and hospital beds are so constructed as to upstand a considerable distance from the floor so that the invalid or patient can be given personal attention by a nurse or attendant without the nurse or attendant having to lean or bend over to an uncomfortable position while giving said personal attention. In order, however, to permit the patient to leave the. bed it is necessary to provide a step between the upper surface thereof, or mattress, and the floor.

As noted above, bed steps are not new with the present applicant but prior structures have left certain feaice straps 12 and 13 respectively having at its upper end a hook-like flange 14 and 15 which engage the upper surface of the bed rail 10. Carried by the straps 12 and 13 are clamp plates 16 and 17 respectively disposed be-' hind the depending arm of the bed rail 10. A clamp bolt 18 extends through each strap 12 and 13 to respectively engage a clamp plate 16 or 17, and actuate said clamp plates toward and in clamping engagement with said depending arm of the bed rail.

Each of the straps 12 and 13 has its lower end secured, preferably by welding, to an upstanding arm, respectively, 19 and 20 of a folding mechanism bracket, respectively indicated in its entirety by reference numerals 21 and 22. Each of the said folding brackets 21 and 22, in addition to the upstanding arms 19 and 20 thereof, has an upwardly and inwardly or angularly projecting arm 23 and 24 with the braket 21 having its arms 19 and 23 connected by a base 25 while the bracket 22 has its arms 20 and 24 similarly connected by a base 26. Saidv The bed step, per se, comprises an inverted shallow.

pan-like member including a body portion 27 rectangular in area and with each of its four edges down-turned as flanges 28. The longitudinal edges of the step constituting, respectively, what might be termed the front and back thereof While the shorter edges constitutes the ends of the step. Disposed on the upper surface of the step body portion 27 is an anti-skid pad 29 which is conveniently longitudinally ribbed as at 30' to provide an anti-skid surface on which the user steps.

Supports for the step at each end thereof are conveniently formed of a continuous piece of material, such as metal tubing, and with each said support comprising a central or body portion 31 secured to the undersurface of the step body, preferably by welding, and with said tubing having its opposite ends downwardly bent as at 32 and 33 for thereby providing the supporting legs, per

se, with one said leg disposed at each corner of the step.'

with said plates being attached or secured to its flange by welding or the like. Each of the said step end plates 35 and 36 has depending therefrom an arm, respectively,

37 and 38 with each including a portion 39 which is normal to the step and a second portion 40 which downwardly and outwardly or angularly inclines with respect to its said portion 39. The said arms 37 and 38 constitutes a portion of the step folding mechanism.

As seen in the drawings the step arms 37 and 38 each has its portion 40 extending in :an angular plane that is parallel with the angular plane of extent of the arms 23 and 24 of the brackets 21 and 22.

The arm 37, for example, at the left hand end of the step mechanism as illustrated in the drawings, has its portion parallel with the arm 23 of the bracket 21, while the similar portion 40 of the arm 38 at the right hand end of the step mechanism extends in a plane parallel 3 with the plane of the arm 24 of the bracket 22. The said arms 37 and 38 are respectively joined to its bracket arm 23- or 24 by a similar mechanism and which are respectively indicated in its entirety by reference numerals 41 and 42 and since said mechanisms are substantially duplicates of one another, only one will be described in detail.

step arm portion 40 connected with the bracket arm 23 by means of a pair of parallel links 43 and 44 with said link 43 having its opposite ends respectively pivotly connected at 45 and 46 with the arm 37 and bracket arm 23. The link 44 has its opposite ends similiarly pivotly connected as at 47 and 48 respectively with the step arm 37 and bracket arm 23. With similar pivotal connections in each folding mechanism 41 and 42 it is obvious that the step may be raised from its position outwardly of the bed, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, to a position inwardly of the bed, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

While the mechanism thus far described would obvious- 1y function since the brackets 21 and 22 along with their, to all intents and purposes, integral strap arms 12 and 13 are secured in spaced apart operative positions, it is believed obvious that a certain amount of twist is liable to be effected in either folding mechanism if pressure were applied to the step at one or the other side of the longitudinal center thereof. To eliminate this possibility and insure stability in the said folding mechanisms they are joined by a longitudinal brace in the form of a rod or tube 49 which has its ends respectively secured to the arm 44 of the folding parallel arms mechanisms 41 and 42. By this construction, any force having tendency to spring or bind one or the other of said folding parallel arms mechanisms 41 and 42 is transmitted to the other and thereby maintains the folding mechanisms in parallel operative positions at all times.

As was noted above the bed step is to be folded out of the way and beneath the bed from the position in Fig. 3 to the position in Fig. 4 so that persons along side of the bed are not interfered with by the said step. While it is possible to completely fold the step under the bed this is not desirable as in order to retrieve the same a person would have to reach beneath the bed the full step width which would be uncomfortable to say the least. Furthermore while some form of stop mechanism may be provided on the folding mechanism this would add to the cost of producing the step and may result in a mechanism that would jar the bed each time the step were folded since there would undoubtedly be a metal to metal contact unless a cushioning bumper were additionally provided.

By the construction herein disclosed and above described a stop mechanism satisfying all the requirements of 'such a stop mechanism is provided by the parts themselves. As illustrated, particularly in Fig. 4, in the drawings, by judiciously positioning the folding mechanisms tie rod or tube 49 it may be engaged by the rubber boots at the lower ends of the step front corner legs 33.

By this construction, no additional stop or bumper mechanism is required nor is any additional cushioning means required as the said boots 34, being formed of rubber, cushion the impact of the parts upon retraction of the step and at the same time cushion the impact of the legs with the floor when the step is actuated to its pe'rative position outwardly of the bed rail.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bed step the combination with a bed side rail, of a pair of attaching straps depending from said bed side rail, a bed step including a body portion adapted to have a position outwardly of said bed side rail and a position inwardly of said rail and with said bed step body portion located between said attaching straps and with said attaching straps depending to a point below said step body portion when in its outward position, links The step connecting or folding mechanism 42 has the abreast;

each having one end pivotally carried by each of said attaching straps at points below said bed step body portion when in its outward position with said links each having its other end pivotally connected to the bed step body portion whereby said bed step may be pivotally actuated from a position outwardly of said bed rail to a position inwardly of said bed rail, means connecting said links to maintain them in spaced apart relation, and

means carried by the bed step for engaging the links con- I necting means in limiting the pivotal movement of the bed step inwardly of the bed rail.

2. In a bed step the combination with a bed rail, of

a pair of depending connecting straps detachably secured to the bed rail, a bed step between the said attaching straps, a supporting leg depending from each corner of the bed step, a bracket secured to each attaching strap, a pair of parallel links between each bracket and its adjacent end of the bed step with said links each'having one end pivoted to its bracket and its other end pivoted to the step so that said step may be actuated from a position outwardly of the bed rail to a position inwardly thereof, and a connecting bar between a similar link of each pair of parallel links for maintaining them in spaced relation, said depending legs at the forward corners of the step engaging the links connecting bar in limiting the inward positioning of the step.

3. In a bed step the combination with a bed rail, 0 a pair of depending connecting straps detachably secured to the bed rail, a bed step between the said attaching straps, a supporting leg depending from each corner of the bed step, a bracket secured to each attaching strap,

to the step so that said step may be actuated from a posi-- tion outwardly of the bed rail to a position inwardly thereof, a connecting bar between a similar link of each pair of parallel links for maintaining them in spaced relation,

said step depending legs each having at its lower end a resilient boot, and the said depending legs at the for ward corners of the step being outwardly spaced from the connecting bar a distance to engage through their resilient boots, acting as bumpers, said bar and limit the inward positioning of the step.

4. In a bed step the combination of a pair of hanging straps, a step including a rectangular body portion with a depending supporting leg at each corner of the body portion, a step mounting bracket at each end of the step with each mounting bracket including a vertically disposed arm respectively secured to a hanging strap, each mounting bracket including a rearwardly, upwardly, angularly disposed second arm from the lower end of its vertically disposed mounting arm, a downwardly and forwardly angularly extending arm from each end of the step body portion and with said step body portion arms.

in a plane angularly of the plane of the step body portion and parallel with the plane of angular extent of the mounting bracket angularly extending arms, a pair of parallel links between each step arm and the mounting bracket angularly extending arm at its end of the step and with said links and arms pivotally connected with one another so that said step may be actuated from a position forwardly of the mounting straps to a position rearwardly of ,said straps while maintaining said step in a horizontal plane, and a connecting bar between similar links of each pair of parallel links.

5. In a bed step the combination of a pair of hanging straps, a step including a rectangular body portion with a depending supporting leg at each corner of the body portion, a step mounting bracket at each end of the step with each mounting bracket including a vertically disposed arm respectively secured to a hanging strap, each mounting bracket including a rearwardly, upwardly, an-

gularly disposed second arm from the lower end of its vertically disposed mounting arm, a downwardly and forwardly angularly extending arm from each end of the step body portion and with said step body portion arms in a plane angularly of the plane of the step body portion and parallel with the plane of angular extent of the mounting bracket angularly extending arms, a pair of parallel links between each step arm and the mounting bracket angularly extending arm at its end of the step and with said links and arms pivotally connected with one another so that said step may be actuated from a position forwardly of the mounting straps to a position rearwardly of said straps while maintaining said step in a horizontal plane, and a connecting bar between similar links of each pair of parallel links, said supporting legs at the forward corners of the step being so positioned outwardly of the links connecting bar as to engage said bar in limiting the inward positioning of the step with respect to the connecting straps.

6. In a bed step the combination of a pair of hanging straps, a step including a rectangular body portion with a depending supporting leg at each corner of the body portion, a step mounting bracket at each end of the step with each mounting bracket including a vertically disposed arm respectively secured to a hanging strap, each mounting bracket including a rearwardly, upwardly, angularly disposed second arm from the lower end of its vertically disposed mounting arm, a downwardly and forwardly angularly extending arm from each end of the step body portion and with said step body portion arms in a plane angularly of the plane of the step body portion and parallel with the plane of angular extent of the mounting bracket angularly extending arms, a pair of parallel links between each step arm and the mounting bracket angularly extending arm at its end of the step and with said links and arms pivotally connected with one another so that said step may be actuated from a position forwardly of the mounting straps to a position rearwardly of said straps while maintaining said step in a horizontal plane, a connecting bar between similar links of each pair of parallel links, said supporting legs at the forward corners of the step being so positioned outwardly of the links connecting bar as to engage said bar in limiting the inward positioning of the step with respect to the connecting straps, and each said step supporting leg having at its lower end a resilient boot forming a bumper between said step forward legs and connecting bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,681,879 Putnam Aug. 21, 1928 2,568,093 Srnid et al Sept. 18, 1951 2,575,615 Crump Nov. 20, 1951 2,682,297 Hamilton June 29, 1954 2,682,671 Faure July 6, 1954 2,852,271 McDonald Sept. 16, 1958 

